


Mahalo, Stitch

by Tookbaggins



Category: Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Genre: F/M, Old Fic, repost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-09-13
Updated: 2002-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:47:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 8,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23621815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tookbaggins/pseuds/Tookbaggins
Summary: When 625 left Stitch, Lilo, and Peka's family, he lost some one who was important to him. Now Peka faces one of the most difficult desicions of her short life on Earth. But Stitch may end up losing someone as well...sequel to You Can Never BelongOriginally posted on fanfiction.net September 2002





	1. Telling Stitch

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on fanfiction.net September 3, 2002  
> Completed October 2, 2002
> 
> Original statistics:  
> Reviews: 58  
> Faves: 12

Peka smiled happily as Stitch twirled her across the hardwood floor of Lilo's bedroom, his gravelly voice singing softly along with the record that Lilo was listening to across the room. Lilo giggled at them from her easel, where she was happily splashing blue and green paint over the canvas.

"I don't think that it'll come out very well, you move too much." Peka twisted her head to look as she passed. It was a typical child's drawing, done with great care, yet still messy.

"I think that it's beautiful, Lilo." Stitch commented, letting go of Peka as the song ended. He admired the picture for a moment longer before turning to Peka. "Is something wrong?"

"No." she quickly smiled, but not quickly enough.

"Peka.I know you too well, please don't lie to me." He watched her searchingly.

"It's about 625."

Experiment 625 ran like his life depended on it. In fact, it probably did. He had left the Pelekai family so suddenly, he didn't have anything, not even some bread.

"All this just for a peanut butter and pickle sandwich? What's this world coming to?" he had been breaking into various homes around Kauai to get food, but he was rather clumsy so he usually got caught. 625 ducked into a dark alley as the homeowner thundered past. As soon as the sound of footsteps died away, he set to finishing his dinner. With a sticky finger he began to doodle in the dirt, not really paying attention to what he drew. He watched his reflection in a trash can, noticing with annoyance how thin and scruffy he looked. "Yep.a vagabond's life is the life for me." He finished the sandwich as he inspected his work. It reminded him sharply of Peka, as so many things did.

"Aw, who am I kiddin'. I'm never gonna survive on my own." he curled up in the shadows to spend another night alone.

"Do you think that that's what he meant?" Peka asked Stitch. He stared at her from across the table.

"Quite possibly. I don't like it, if he loves you then why leave?"

" thought that he was intruding. He did know about us, after all." She stared despairingly into the soup Nani had made her before politely leaving. "I wonder if he's okay. W-what if-"

"Peka, don't even think like that. He's very strong, he can take care of himself if he has to." Stitch watched her sadly. He saw it in her was losing her. He didn't know if he could bear that, for Peka. He got up and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Leave it to me.I'll find him." He smiled lovingly at the grateful look on her face as she hugged him, but inside he a falling apart.


	2. Istari Astrawyn

Experiment 625 ran for his life once again. This time, though, it the homeowner he was running was the homeowner's dog. And the great, ugly brute was gaining on him.

"Jeez! Don't you ever run out of energy?" 625 gasped as he frantically tried to escape. He darted across the street, the dog following and bounding closer every second. 625 was on the verge of giving up, this was just too much trouble for a sandwich. Desperately he ducked into a narrow alley, realizing a little too late that he had trapped himself. He looked down at the crumbling, half made sandwich he still gripped in one paw.

"Looks like this is it." He sighed dramatically. "Tell Auntie Em that I won't be home for supper!" as an after-thought he bit off a mouthful and threw the sandwich through an open window on the second floor of the building that had doomed him. "Fly, you fool!" he shouted as the dog advanced on him. If he was going to die, he would bravely and with food in his mouth.

625 braced himself as the mutt bored down on him, biting and clawing. 625 was trying (with little success) to bite and claw back, when something suddenly struck him painfully across the back of his head. The dog yelped in surprise as it was also hit. 625 stumbled dizzily and fell to the pavement. He glimpsed a tall figure before him and everything went black.

Stitch sulked next to Peka as they followed Lilo along the crowded beach.

"I'm telling you, he's not here." Peka objected as they watched the passing groups of tourists for signs of 625.

"You never know." Stitch shrugged. But he knew that they weren't likely to find him there, and that's why he wanted to look.

Peka purred happily as she looked up at 625. She wrapped her arms around him. "Why did you leave?" she asked.

"B-because, I-" 625 squeezed his eyes tighter shut. He didn' want to wake up. He was happy when he slept. But right he had a splitting headache, and his growling stomachache didn't help.

" Are you okay?" he squinted into the dim light, unsure if the unfamiliar voice was talking to him. A young girl with brown waves of hair and troubled dark blue eyes was bending over him. "Are you okay?" she asked again.

"Do I look like I'm okay?" he groaned. The girl squealed and jumped back a few steps.

"Y-you talk?" she asked, wide-eyed.

"Of course I do." 625 sat up a bit too quickly and lay back down again, rubbing his head painfully.

"I'm sorry." He glanced at her confused. She hadn't come any closer, but didn't look so afraid. "A-a sandwich came flying through the window. I heard a dog attacking something and someone talking. I went down to look." She nodded to an extremely painful looking stick propped against the wall. "I didn't mean to hit you."

"Well, you did. Feels like I got hit by a convoy of trucks." The girl timidly stepped closer.

"My name's Istari Astrawyn."

"Istari Astrawyn? What, you been sucking back on Grandpa's old cough medicine?"

"Hey!" Istari's eyes flashed dangerously.

" 's pretty."

"That's what I thought. What's your name?"

"I don't have one." 625 muttered somewhat sheepishly. "My friends people I know usually call me 625." Istari shook her head disapprovingly.

"That will never do. How !" she beamed at him. 625 however nearly pulled his ears off.

"What IS it with that name?"


	3. Missing

Peka ignored the sounds of Lilo's record player from the observatory and wriggled farther under the blankets of her bed. She didn't want to mope, but she couldn't help it. They hadn't found 625 anywhere. They had looked at the beach and in town, even at the animal rescue place where Lilo had first met Stitch. But it was almost as if he'd disappeared entirely.

"Peka?" she pulled the pillow down over her head as Stitch looked I on her worriedly. "Are you going to eat tonight?"

".no." she sniff. Stitch contemplated her muffled answer for a moment, but decided against arguing.

"Alright then." He shrugged defeatedly.

***

Stitch glanced back worriedly as he descended the stairs to eat. He hated seeing Peka like this. But he couldn't help feeling that it was partly his fault. If he hadn't been so touchy and started fighting with 625 hadn't meant all of that. He sighed, just a little ashamed of himself. "Poor only we could find him."

***

"Owen! Did you eat all the pepper-jack cheese?" 62- er, Owen (A/N I don't think I'll ever get used to that!) hid his sandwich oh-so-well behind his back.

"No! I only had half of it!.um, three fourths."Istari frowned disapprovingly into the fridge then turned a scrutinizing stare on Owen. "Alright, I did eat it all. So what?"

"That's what I 't it feel nice to tell the truth?" she smiled sweetly at him.

"Aw, shut up." He set to finishing his sandwich as she bustled past to retrieve the mail.

"My brother finally wrote to me!" she squealed. "He's playing bass in a band called Playing With Matches.""(A/N he really is). Istari laid that one aside and shuffled through the other post until she came to a single sheet of paper. " you know anyone like this?" she asked, holding it out in front of him. "Missing," it read. "Odd looking dog. About two feet nine inches tall, aquamarine-ish fur, and small, floppy ears. If seen or found, please contact Nani Pelekai." Underneath the writing a child's drawing (probably Lilo's) depicted Owen a little too skinny with elongated arms and legs.

"Nope, never met the guy. Pretty good looking, if you ask me."

"Owen, how many aquamarine dogs do you think there are running around Kauai?" Istari raised an eyebrow (sharp, ain't she? ^_^).

"Oh, I don't 'S ONE NOW!" Owen jabbed a claw towards the window and bolted for the door. Istari tackled him before he could get it open.

"Ai! What are you doing!? Do you know this lady?" she questioned, pointing to the flyer.

"I did."

"What do you mean 'did'?" Istari let him go and placed herself in front of the door.

"I stayed with them for awhile, but left/ things didn't really work out."

" must be worried to be looking for you! What happened to make you leave?" Owen sighed; he had been dreading something like this.

"I'll explain it over dinner."

***

Stitch crept silently through the dark house, avoiding the creaky floorboard as much as he could. He headed to the kitchen where he quickly threw together a sandwich of lettuce and some strange orange goo Pleakley had made. If he was going to convince 625 to come back, he might need a little help. With a last glance into the observatory to make sure Lilo hadn't woken, he disappeared through the dog-door.


	4. I Can’t Go Back

Stitch slunk through the dark alley, both his blue ears and pug nose hard at work. He found traces of breadcrumbs towards the far end and signs of a bit of a struggle.625 had been there, all right.

"I hope he hasn't gone and gotten himself hurt." He scowled. He picked up another scent mingled with 625's, not the dog that he had smelled . He narrowed his black eyes curiously. It was a human, to be sure, but somehow it didn't exactly seem like one. It seemed almost as if there was something else had just decided to sit down and maybe figure this out when he heard a familiar, somewhat southern drawl.

"Hey! Kung Gu Pow is pretty hard to say! Oh.I did it again, I'm beat. Now as I was saying-" Stitch practically flew from the alley to see an open window flooded with light, the aroma of Chinese food wafting out to his nose. With just a little regret about not busting in and scaring 625 out of his wits, Stitch sat down to listen.

***

" 're willing to tell me all this. You're very trusting, then again most people won't even tell me their name."

"Why?"

"I don't know. But that doesn't really matter." Istari frowned into her lo mein, her expression unreadable.

"Go back."

"What?" Owen narrowed his eyes at her (stuffing another few wantons into his mouth in the process). "I thought that I was staying here with you."

"Owen, you love 314, even if 626 does too-"

"What did you say?" Owen snapped, dropping his food in shock.

"What do you mean?" Istari concentrated on her food quite suddenly.

"Their numbers, how would you know?" Owen glared accusingly.

"Uh, you told me. Remember?" she shrugged as if it were obvious.

"I never-"

"Don't interrupt, it's not polite."

"You interrupted me!"

"You asked for my advice, now do you want it or not?" she snapped. Owen sighed and began constructing a lo mein sandwich. "That's what I thought. Now as to why you felt like you were intruding, like there wasn't any place for you in the family."

"How-" Owen gaped, not bothering to finish.

"Let's just say that I'm sharp about these things. Owen, you really should go back." Owen got up and carried his sandwich over to the window, looking out into the dark street below.

"Istari, I.I can't go back." He sighed. Owen closed his eyes and leaned on the cool glass of the window, not seeing the worried eyes below.

***

Stitch for reached nervously for the knob of the door before him. He only hoped that 625 would listen. Most likely he was his usual pig-headed self, but then again you never know. The door creaked open, followed by a yelp.

"What are you doing here!?" Stitch demanded, forgetting about his plan of staying calm.

"I'm staying here with Istari! What, you think this is YOUR house? You are violating my privacy!"

"Owen! Let him talk!" Istari Astrawyn (threatening yet comforting) lowered her staff-ish-stick-thing. "He's perfectly alright."

"Thank you." Stitch eyed the young girl and the glaring Owen. " have to come back."

"No."

"But you have to! Peka-"

"Cares about you. I have no place there, and you do. Therefore I am out of the picture."

"625-"

"Owen. I have a name now."

"You already did!"

"Get on with it!" Istari commanded. Stitch shrank back a little before continuing.

"Peka cares about you. She needs you back home. She won't eat, she hardly ever talks, you know why? It's because you left. You left right when you told her how you really felt." Stitch hadn't the slightest idea how this would make Owen feel and he honestly didn't care. Maybe if Owen knew what was happening to Peka, then maybe he would come back. Owen lowered his head; it seemed almost as if what he was hearing was causing him physical pain. He looked uncertainly back at Stitch.

"You wants me to come back?"

" , we all miss you. Believe it or not things are getting a little dull." Stitch smiled weakly, hoping against hoping that this was working as well as it appeared to be. "That's why you can't stay here! That's why I'm here looking for you."

Owen stood silent. His black eyes brimming with tears. Istari knelt and put her arm around him.

"If you want to go back and see Peka, do it. You can't run from every problem you face." They waited as he seemed to finish an inner battle of some kind. Finally, he sighed.

"Alright.I'll go back. But I don't know for how long. And it's for Peka; she's the only reason."


	5. Abduction

"That way!" Owen directed from where he clung to Istari's shoulders.

"Why the hurry?" she asked as she pedaled her bike furiously.

"I have a bad feeling. Plus I can smell 't know what, but I can smell it." Stitch had perched himself on the handlebars and was swiveling his ears from side to side tensely.

"Oh." Istari continued to pedal through the thick trees. She was very tired and thinking about how the island always seemed tiny until you were exercising.

"Okay, it's just around those trees." They came into the clearing and screeched to a halt. The front door of the Pelekai home was laying in the yard and scarred with what looked like plasma shots.

"Lilo!"

"Peka!" both Stitch and Owen dropped to the grass and bolted into the house, followed closely by Istari.

"What happened?" Istari gasped. The inside of the house had nearly been demolished. The furniture lay in pieces scattered among scorched possessions and chunks of wall. Stitch picked up the new Scrump (the original having been blown up along with the house) and stared at it despairingly, barely aware that the others were talking.

"Whew! What reeks?" Owen wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Smells like someone was cooking gasoline, sweaty socks, clothes from under a band uniform (A/N trust me, that is one thing you don't want to smell), old people, and a litter box that really needs cleaned."

"I can't smell anything except smoke." Istari coughed. Owen seemed to think for a moment. Quite suddenly he began to growl.

"I'd recognize that foul stench anywhere. Quek's been here!" Stitch's head snapped up from where it had hung sadly. He caught a brief looked of contempt from Istari, but it instantly changed to a puzzled look.

"Who?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know. How did he know they were here?" Owen moaned.

"The ship we took must have had some sort of tracking device in case of thieves." Stitch said as he joined the other two. "Quek must've taken Lilo and Peka."

"I guess he's never heard the word discreet." Owen snickered, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Shut up, Owen, this is serious." Stitch growled. Istari, seeing yet another fight in the making, beckoned them over to her. "You two had better come see this." Both of them obeyed, their danger of an outburst forgotten. Istari was bent worriedly over a small and battered Federation Commlink. A faint red light blinked, indicating an awaiting message. Silently, Owen reached out and activated it. They waited tensely as the tiny screen slowly flared to life.

"Jeez! The thing thinks even faster than you, Stitch."

"This isn't the time, Owen."

"It's always the time, just check your watch."

"That's lame, even for you." Istari silenced them as Quek's repulsive face filled the commlink's small screen.

"Oh, I see that you have found my little gift." He jeered. "I have come to reclaim my test subjects that you so rudely stole from well as adding another to my little group." There was a muffled groan and Quek rolled his eyes. "The big one was a little troublesome, but that's why the element of surprise is always useful. So say goodbye." the recording flashed to three figures in a heap on the grass nearby. Peka and Lilo appeared unharmed, but Nani was unconscious, sporting a large bruise covering the side of her face. The screen faded and Stitch thrust his fist through it with a strangled yell.

"Oh thanks, Bucko! Now we can't even try to track him."

"You're forgetting what you're talking to, Owen. "Istari interjected. "This is the best nose in the galaxy. Unless they're off-planet he can find them."

"And you're forgetting who you're talking to." Owen countered smugly. "I may not have been made with the strength he has, .nevermind." He dropped to the ground next to Istari.

"Well."

"Humph."

"Shouldn't we be doing something?"

Stitch glanced at them doubtfully. "Do you think we should bring Cobra into this?"

"Who?"

"Yes." Stitch gaped at Istari for a moment. How could she know who Cobra was unless Owen told he seemed to have forgotten who Cobra was. Stitch shrugged and let it pass (Istari was starting to creep him out).

"Cobra Bubbles, former CIA."

"No." Owen protested.

"He's part of the family."

"We don't have time to go looking for him, Quek could be engaging his hyper- drive right now!" Owen was in an unusual panic.

"Okay, okay." Stitch sighed, it looked like it was just the three of them.


	6. On the Trail

Peka stood protectively with Nani and Lilo. She was scared out of her wits. She wasn't strong or indestructible like Stitch and 625. If Quek tried to hurt them or something she wouldn't be able to help them.

"We shouldn't be doing this."

"Are you in charge here? No, I am. Be quiet and go get the sedatives." Pish (who had reluctantly appeared just a few moments before) protested weakly, then obediently disappeared inside the ship. Quek turned back to them. "Now, no fighting eh? I have big plans for you. Weapons testing, a bit of genetics." he began listing things to himself, most of which weren't very pretty. Peka leaned in close to the others.

"If something happens, run for it." She hissed. "Don't wait on me." Lilo and Nani nodded mutely. Peka only hoped that Stitch and 625 would find them they were.

***

Istari pedaled furiously once again. 'Why another hill?' she groaned silently as she watched Stitch. He was once again hanging from the handlebars, his nose intent on the air around him. He glanced back at Istari and Owen, his eyes narrowed in disgust.

"I swear, when I find Quek I'll kill him."

"You don't want to sink that low, Stitch." Owen chided from where he clung to Istari's jacket. "I mean, who wouldn't want to be a psychotic ax murderer, sitting in the dark and listening to Alan Silvestri music to aid you in plotting someone's demise. I know I'd enjoy it. But I don't really think it's quite your style." (A/N Eddie (the drumline instructor) said this to me on the way back from our first competition. It was really late and although I was sitting with the rest of the drummers, I was listening to the instrumental tracks on my Lilo & Stitch CD. Eddie said he just wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to rape him and mutilate his remains or anything. Pretty cool guy.) Owen smiled pleasantly at the still fuming Stitch.

"Alright about if I mortally wound him?" he resumed sniffing. "They're just on the next hill."

"Oh man." Istari threw the road up ahead an "if - you - make - me - go - up - one - more - hill - after - this - one - then - I'll - attack - you - with - a - jack-hammer" look. Why did she have to do so much exercise today? Just when she was feeling fat like a good little drummer.

***

Peka followed Nani up the loading ramp, Lilo following close behind. The little girl was taking all this extremely again, after Turo who wouldn't? Peka quickly assessed the situation, looking desperately for a way to escape, but she could find none. Quek was behind them, tranquilizer in hand, and Pish was waiting in the ship. Obediently Peka stood quietly with the others. She was just contemplating Pish's apologetic look when she felt a painful prick as a tranquilizer dart caught her in the neck. She slumped to the floor; barely hearing Lilo burst into tears as Quek turned the gun on her.


	7. Our Heroes Take to the Skies

"No! Wait!" Owen burst into the clearing as Quek's chunky black ship began to rise from the grass. Futily, he chased after it, only to be blown back by the outside weaponry. "Please." he stumbled and fell to his knees, all hope forgotten and tried desperately to hide his tears.

"Owen." Stitch pulled him to his feet. Owen turned away from him stubbornly. "Don't give up, Owen. There's still hope."

"What are you talking about!? Don't you see? They're gone!" Owen's voice shook as he turned to glare at Stitch. "They're heading back to Turo and we have no way of following them." He cried openly now, wanting nothing more than to say that he'd never come to Earth, that none of this had ever happened. "Nani, Lilo, Peka! They're gone! Gone to be experimented on or dissected." he slumped to the ground again. Stitch sighed patiently and sat next to him, trying to offer some type of comfort though he wanted to cry himself.

"There's always a way, Owen. Who knows, maybe we'll-" he stopped abruptly as his large ears picked up the sound of Istari's voice from across the clearing.

"-As soon as you can. I don't care! Tell him to put it on layaway it'll be there later, just get over here now!"

***

"I told you we shouldn't have gone to Honolulu today!" David (A/N ohh ahh!) scowled at Pleakley.

"I had to do my Christmas shopping." He said innocently.

"Christmas is still three months away!"

"It never hurts to be early." Jumba rolled his eyes as he carefully ascended the narrow stairways to Istari's open-roofed third floor. David and Pleakey continued to argue even as he opened the door revealing a sleek blue federation ship. Built for comfortable traveling, but only including on outside cannon.

"Why-"

"We have no time! Get in!"

***

"Istari, where did it come from?" Stitch gasped and snatched the Commlink from her hands.

"Umm.I found it?"

"I find that hard to believe." Owen scowled. Istari looked from one alien to the other, then glanced to the sky expectantly.

"Alright, but no big explanations right now, okay? I am Professor Istari Astrawyn, head of experimental supervision for the Galactic Federation. I've been sent here to keep an eye on you and your family, Stitch." She smiled pleasantly. "But I wasn't expecting you and 314 to show up, Owen."

"Why didn't you tell me all this?" Owen asked, just a little insulted.

"I wasn't allowed. The Doctor should be here soon."

"You're changing the subject." He was interrupted as the hum of engines filled the clearing. Turning to watch, they saw a sleek, blue ship settle in the clearing amid a cloud of dust. Within seconds Jumba was squeezing through the door, followed somewhat easier by David and Pleakley.

"Professor Astrawyn!" He rumbled laughingly. "Is been long time since we last met, yes? You were nearly shutting me down."

"Doctor Jookiba, I trust you know our situation?"

"Of course. it all three of them?" he asked sheepishly. Istari rolled her eyes.

"You haven't changed at all, have you?"

"No, not that I know of. Let's keep it that way." Jumba knelt next to Stitch and Owen. "Well, 625! I see you finally got some sense into your large head and returned to your family."

"Yeah, I guess. Doc, did you know she was here?" Owen cocked his head curiously toward Istari.

"Of course. We have been in touch for sometime."

" you knew I was with her?"

"Even before you knew it yourself." Owen considered that for a moment before whirling on Istari.

"Y-you didn't tell him what I told you, did you?"

"Oh, you mean about you, Stitch, and Peka?" Istari asked innocently.

"No, I mean me and the Bichon from down the street." He burst out angrily.

"No she didn't tell me. It was easy enough to tell from Peka's behavior after you left." Stitch sensed an Owen tantrum coming on and decided to step in.

"Shouldn't we get going?"

"Ai! I almost forgot!" Istari yelped, dragging Owen towards the ship.

***

Peka groaned as she opened her eyes, "that didn't help. I still can't see a thing." She mumbled; her voice sounding strangely muffled. She weakly pushed herself into a sitting position before squinting into the darkness that surrounded her. She could smell thick thick. 'Containment box-type-thing!' she thought, feelings of claustrophobia beginning to set in. She flopped onto her back again, trying hard not to panic.

"Where are you going?" Peka scowled as Quek's repulsive voice boomed throughout the large ship.

"I'm going to check on Number One! She hasn't made any noise for awhile."

'There's Pish.' Peka mused as his footsteps passed her box. 'I wonder who "Number One" is?' there was a creaking of a door opening and the click of claws on metal. Peka strained her ears, but no conversing took place. What was going on? And what was Number One?


	8. Chapter 8

"Istari! Did you leave your Monsters, Inc. cd in there again?" Jumba groaned as the music automatically greeted them upon boarding her ship.

"Maybe." Istari silenced the music as she slid into the pilot seat adorned with patches and pen drawings of bananas and such (all products of her boredom while in hyperspace). She noticed with satisfaction that the crew had all scrambled into the seats (Owen and Stitch splitting one) and leaving no room for Jumba. "Time to go!" she crowed and took off suddenly, tossing Jumba into the back of the ship. "You might want to sit down, this may be a little bumpy." She advised him innocently.

"You know, I'm getting to like her more and more all the time." Owen commented to Stitch with an odd kind of pride.

"You're starting to rub off on everybody, you know that's a bad thing don't you?"

"Are you kidding?" Owen gasped. "What more could someone want than to be just like me?" Stitch rolled his eyes, suppressing an amused smile. Owen could actually be in awhile.

Nani paced back and forth in the small room she had woken up in. she hadn't the slightest idea what was going on, but Peka and Lilo seemed to. She gingerly poked her bruised face, remembering with difficulty that Peka and Lilo had flew into a panic as the front door burst open, a disgustingly stuck-up looking pointing a weird looking gun at them. Nani shrugged this off. It wouldn't help to think about that now, it wouldn't get her out of this room. Dismally she thought of her sister and their friend. "You two had better be alright or I'll personally hurt that badly." She growled to the empty air around her. With a small sigh she settled against the cold wall opposite the door, waiting patiently for her whatever this guy planned to do with her. Her head snapped up as a sharp click cut through the air. The door across from her slid open silently.

"Are you with the small ones?" a harsh voice demanded. Nani made some small choking sounds before regaining her composure.

"Why? Where are they?" the owner of the harsh voice stepped into the light of her room.

Lilo whimpered as Pish gently pulled her from her box. She kicked and squirmed in terror.

"Would you cut it out?" Pish hissed. "If you keep doing that Quek will know you're loose and I'll get throttled!" Lilo fell silent and stared up at his reptilian features.

"Are you really a bad guy?" she asked timidly. Pish smiled at her.

"Only when he makes me be."

Nani stared in disbelief at the little alien in front of her. So this was Number One. She looked remarkably like Stitch. Her small body was covered with smoky grey fur that reached all the way to her ear tips, which were catlike (much like Peka's) and tipped with a deep crimson. This crimson also flowed down her back and arms, finally fading into the grey of her long tail.

"Normally I wouldn't go against Quek, he can be very convincing sometimes. But Pish has always treated me better than that fat tub of lard. If Pish wants to get a free tickets to scientific guinea pig land I might as well get one , another one that is." Number One explained gruffly. She extended a scarred claw to Nani. "What do you say we trash this guy?"


	9. Explosive Escape

"Where'd it go?"

"There!"

"Where?"

"There!"

"I don't see anything!"

"Jeez, just let me do it!" Owen pried the massive cannon's controls away from a very flustered Pleakley.

"Be careful, we don't want them to crash!" he whined.

"Don't worry, I may be stupid, but I have everything under control." He accidentally fired off a blast. "Oops." Quek's ship jerked and the blast had missed it completely.

"Thank you for giving us away, my caustic little creation!" Jumba yelled from somewhere inside the ship; followed by the sound of Istari and Stitch both cackling with glee as the ship accelerated sharply, sending Pleakley sliding into the wall.

"With those two driving they can probably pinpoint us all the way from Kentucky!" Owen rolled his eyes as he and Pleakley held on for dear life.

Lilo worked frantically with the latches of Peka's containment box, trying hard to ignore the thumps coming from the cockpit. The ship lurched again. She wondered why but gave it no more thought as the lid finally popped open and Peka immediately latched onto her. "Open air! Lilo you're a marvel!" before Lilo could reply, Quek gave a thunderous shout and Pish came bursting into the room. "Wha-?"

"He's a good guy!" Lilo explained.

"Of course he is!" they turned to see Nani and Number One fleeing from the trashed cargo area of the ship. Number One rolled her sapphire eyes as Peka stared at her and made odd choking sounds "Who are you?"

"Number One! We don't have time for this! The ship is being attacked, and I just activated the self destruct and we have four-"

"Two minutes to detonation." Pish was interrupted by a computerized voice and Quek came stampeding into the room. " care of them Number One!"

"Got it boss!" she urged them ahead to the hatch as Quek overtook Pish and wrestled him to the floor.

"One minute, thirty seconds to detonation."

Number One pulled open the hatch, revealing the open air and sea. She turned to Peka. "Alright, we're going to have to break their fall into the water. Unless, of course, Pish thinks of something."

"I can't!"

"I don't think you understand the situation we're in." Number One growled. Peka shook her head somewhat shamefully.

"But…if I did it would kill me." Number One stared at her and sigh.

"We don't have time for this. I'll take them, then. Just follow me and try not to hit too hard." With that Number One grabbed Nani and Lilo and leaped through the open hatch. Peka looked back at Pish and Quek hesitantly.

"Thirty seconds to detonation."

"Pish!" he twisted his head, both reptilian eyes seeming dazed and bruised.

"Go! You don't have much time!" she hesitated.

"Fifteen seconds to detonation."

She recklessly made up her mind and leapt at Quek. Pish knocked her away. "No, run!"

"Five seconds to detonation."

Peka hesitated again before regretfully heading for the door. She looked back once again…just as a steel door slid over the opening, sealing it shut. She was trapped.


	10. What Happened to Peka

Lilo clung to Number One and Nani as they landed with a bump atop the federation ship containing their friends, which had flown unnoticed beneath Quek's ship. She wasn't quite sure what had happened or even what was happening now and she didn't really care. All she could think of was Pish.

"We have to go back and help him!"

"We can't! There's no way to get back on the ship! By now the emergency seals have activated to prevent anyone from going in." Number One extricated herself from Lilo's desperate grasp. In a flash, Stitch and Owen were on top of the humans, shouting for joy. Istari appeared form inside and leveled a blaster at Number One.

"Inside, no-" she tumbled back inside as Quek's ship exploded, the shock waves from it pushing the blue ship away quite some distance. Stitch held Lilo firmly as she tried frantically to pull away from him.

"Peka!"

"What are you talking about?" he asked sharply, a note of fear growing in his voice. "Where is she?" Lilo pointed to the smoke hanging in the sky where Quek's ship had been.

"Wha-" Owen dropped into a sitting position, hugging himself slightly. "You was still inside?" Lilo nodded sadly.

"No." Stitch let go of Lilo and walked to edge of the ship's massive wing, hovering above the crystalline sea. This couldn't be happening. . He shook his head, trying to clear it. This was just a dream. Some sick, tormenting dream from something he ate. (A/N note to self: NEVER eat something Owen offers you with that suspicious look in his eye). But when he turned around, seeing Owen still sitting sadly, staring at the great cloud of smoke and Nani and Lilo sitting and crying silently together he knew it was true. Sadly he started back inside, where the others waiting for them patiently. It was then that he noticed the other one who had come with them, Number One. He cocked his head at her for a moment, but his sorrow overpowered his curiosity and he continued to seek solitude.

***

Owen shrugged off Istari's arm as he watched the work on cleaning up the Pelekai home. Istari leaned close to him.

"Wanna talk?"

"Go away."

"Fine then, if you don't want to." She sighed as she stood up and joined in the work. Owen watched her with contempt. Actually, he watched nearly everyone with contempt. He wasn't sure why he felt so hateful, though. And he was confused which was something he really didn't like. He glanced to Stitch as he sat brooding in a nearby tree. He had barely spoken since they had landed and Owen didn't regret it one bit. He glanced also at this Number One, perhaps with more hatred than he felt for anything else right then. Number One seemed to have felt his gaze; she turned towards him with a glare. Owen didn't turn away, but returned it with an even more venomous look.

"Owen?" he looked up, quite surprised, to see Jumba looking down at him, a grim frown crossing his face.

"Whatcha want, Doc? I'm kind of busy wallowing in self pity right now."

"Come with me, small conversation is required." The massive alien lumbered away, gathering both Stitch and Number One and leading all three to the nearby beach. He settled himself carefully on the warm sand. For a moment he looked at them gravely. After a troubled silence he sighed.

"Stitch, Owen, 593." Stitch and Owen both glanced at Number One, who glared at Jumba as if he had done her every wrong possible. Jumba (being the sharp guy he was) caught this. "593, why you look at me in such a way? We have more important things to see to. The house should be habitable before nightfall, so we're all going to be together tonight. Since this is case, we should be getting along. I know how you must feel. I feel pain also. Peka was like my family, just as you are-"

"I ain't anything of yours." Number One snapped.

"I was not talking to you, 593. You must have some control over yourself." Number One growled, but didn't interrupt again. Jumba seemed satisfied and continued. "Grieving is one thing, but shunning everyone you another, I think. If you are going to end up fighting and arguing and generally hating each other like before, feel free. Just do it in private. The rest of us are upset as you are. And might as well cheer up a little and not be so belligerent." With that he slowly climbed to his feet and started home. Number One sulked after him, but Owen lagged behind after Stitch, glancing at him not - so - hatefully now. After some hesitation he once again open that lovely mouth of his.

"Stitch?"

"Huh?"

"D-do you think that Quek destroyed the kitchen like he did the living room? I'm dyin' for a sandwich!"


	11. Owen Begins to Understand

Nani rose from the dinner table, signaling Lilo to follow. Handing her two filled plates she ordered her up to the almost repaired observatory. Nani watched her leave before turning to Jumba, who was already searching for fourths. "Have you noticed how those two have been acting?" she asked. Jumba glanced up at her from where he had been loading his plate again.

"What? Oh, you mean Stitch and Owen. They are upset, how else would they act?"

"I know they're upset, but they used to despise each other...now they're together all he time…Would you please leave something for everybody else? They're still on their first helping!" Jumba laughed good-naturedly.

"I'm know if I don't eat everything I get nauseous!"

"Um…Stitch? Owen? Nani said to give you these." Lilo poked her head into the dark observatory. She squinted at the faint outlines of the two aliens silhouetted against the stars. Neither of her friends seemed to hear her.

"Do you think she made it?"

"Made it? Where, Stitch?" Owen mumbled sleepily, all traces of sarcasm having lessened since 'it' happened.

"Heaven."

" , but never heard of it." Lilo saw Stitch's shadow turn its head in the dim moonlight.

"What do you mean? Hasn't anyone ever told you?"

" are plenty of things I ain't been told. Reckon not many people care enough to tell me."

"Stop that, Owen. You know that's not true."

"Suit yourself. That's what's different about me and you, I think. You've got Nani and the others, they all love you. Me? I got Doc, and…I did have Peka, but now." Owen voice grew thin as he listed his limited family. "Nobody really tells me this kind of stuff. I've always just found it on my own. Always have always will." Stitch sighed at his friend's unknowing mistake.

"Owen, you have more family than that. There's Lilo."

"Well, I guess so. But she cares a lot more for you and Nani."

"…And Istari."

"You know, I think you have a point there. Though she probably doesn't want me around. I get on everybody's nerves. Even on Turo I did, that's why even Doc could barely stand me."

"Jumba stood you perfectly fine. He and everybody else loves you. You do get on our nerves sometimes, but that doesn't mean you're not part of the family." Lilo set down the plates and crept a little closer, surprised that she hadn't been noticed yet. "That's what Ohana is all about, Owen."

"Ohana? What's that?" Stitch laughed a little sadly.

"You mean, we forgot to tell you about that too? Let's Lilo put it, Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. Like when I came looking for you that once, after you left? It wasn't only because of was because you were family." Owen contemplated this for a few minutes, almost tempting Lilo to intervene with food.

" you're saying is: because I'm family, you wouldn't let me runaway and get myself into trouble and you came for me because you refused to give up on me?"

"Pretty much. It may take awhile for you to really understand Ohana, but I think you'll get it." Stitch said happily.

"How long did it take you to get it?"

"About…" Stitch searched through his memory slowly, enjoying the ability of having a past. "Three days." Owen smiled to the stars through the broken glass above them.

"I think I can handle that…now about this 'Heaven' thing…" Lilo retreated into the hallway, careful not to step in the food. She thought about the time she had tried to explain Heaven to Stitch, back when he was still a "puppy". She pushed the plates of spaghetti (one pile of noodles being served between two hunks of garlic bread) gently through the door and left silently to tell Jumba of his creations' conversation. She stopped when she saw Number One sulking in an empty bedroom.

"Hello." Number One turned her glaring blue eyes to the little girl.

"What's that smell?" she asked gruffly.

"Spaghetti. Want some?" Number One seemed to size her up for a moment before cocking her head.

"How much can I eat?"

"As much as you want! If we run out, Nani'll make more." Number One looked at her again before pushing past her roughly and heading down the stairs. Lilo looked after her irritably. "Stitch needs to talk to her too." She shrugged as she followed to finish her own dinner.


	12. Out in the Rain

"Had enough?" Nani asked sourly. The rest of the family had all retired to their respectable homes and rooms, leaving Nani and David with Number One (who was on her seventh plate of spaghetti). Number One inhaled the rest of her food before turning to Nani with a growl.

"No I haven't! More." Nani complied (only to keep peace). Number One chuckled happily as Nani waited on one had done what SHE told them before; it was always the other way around. She fell silent and her claws fell down to her furry stomach. "Uh second thought, no more." She bolted through door and into the bushes, regretting stuffing herself silly.

Stitch crawled carefully through the broken glass and out onto the roof over the porch, ignoring the rumbling of thunder in the distance. Owen (being slightly chubby and short-limbed) found climbing out the hole in the roof too tiresome and decided to attack the spaghetti sandwich he had suddenly noticed near the door. While pondering Stitch's explanation of Heaven, of course.

Stitch stuck his head over the edge, his blue ears hanging. His enhanced vision easily picked out the form of Number One being sick in the bushes next to the railing. She didn't notice as he dropped to the wooden planks behind her. He glanced at the sky as a few fat raindrops splashed him. She turned and looked back at him distastefully.

"What are you here for?"

"We heard someone out you okay?"

"Do I look like I'm okay?" Number One snarled, as she was sick a little more. "Remind me never to eat that stuff again, was it called?" Stitch looked past her and cringed.

"Spaghetti."

"Stupid name."

"Not very cheerful, are you?"

"No, I'm not. You got a problem with it?"

"No.I was the same way once. Just not so vocal about it." Number One eyed him contemptuously.

"Why are you still out here?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. The rain was starting to fall harder, but both pretended not too notice. Stitch shrugged.

"Are you coming in or catching pneumonia?"

"I'll take pneumonia, thank you."

"59-" she shot him a venomous look through the thick rain falling between them and he corrected himself.

"Number don't you come in?"

"No." Stitch raised an eyebrow. Why was she so stubborn? Surely he hadn't been so disagreeable. A little more rude, sure, but not this annoying.

"Please?"

""Uh-uh." Stitch sighed and placed his hand lightly on her arm, wondering slightly why he was doing this. Number One started and tried to pull away, but Stitch held her tight.

"I'm not letting you stand here in the rain all night."

"Why do you care what happens to me?" she stared at him, becoming quite confused.

"I'd tell you, but you wouldn't care. Let's go in." he took her by the hand and led her away. Number One didn't look at all happy, but she was more confused than angry. There was something here with these people she didn't know, but she was almost willing to find out.

The two aliens passed into the house, unaware of the eyes watching them from the road. Two beautiful ears drooped sadly down a singed and dirty emerald back. "Stitch." Tears welled up in those sapphire eyes, the owner's heart nearly cloven in she had someone left. At least one person she could turn to.

"Owen."


	13. Mahalo

"I'm fine!"

"Don't bother, she won't listen." Stitch watched with some amusement as Nani tackled Number One with a large towel. Having already been dried, Stitch munched on some crackers and considering taking some to Owen and Lilo even though they had already eaten. Number One hissed a little as the young human rubbed her grey fur vigorously.

"Okay, okay I'm dry!" Number One pulled away and snatched at Stitch's crackers. He frowned and pointed to the box.

"Oh." Nani rolled her eyes and disappeared upstairs, leaving the two to make and clean up their own mess. "Is she always like that?" Number One grunted after she left.

" just didn't want you to get sick. Nani takes care of us." Number One considered this for a moment.

"Takes care of you?"

"Yeah," Stitch patiently ignored her growls. "She makes sure we have things to eat, but David and the others help her with that 're a pretty big family after all. And when we're sick, she makes us , tries any way." Number One held up a hand to stop him.

"Whoa, hold ? What on Turo is that?" Stitch hesitated. He knew what family meant but how could he explain what it was?

" .us. We're all a family: me, Owen, Lilo, Nani, Pek-" he stopped listing suddenly, the still not familiar pain his heart stopping him. Number One noticed and quickly took over in an attempt to distract him.

" those people are your family. So would that mean that Pish was kind of like my family?" Number One also felt that pain, but she ignored it since she didn't know what it was. Stitch stared at her, his ears drooping sadly onto his back.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, forgetting exactly what they were talking about. Number One narrowed her eyes.

"Does what hurt?" he leaned a little closer to hear her. She leaned a little farther was getting kind of weird.

"W-when you talk about your heart hurt?" Number One was getting thoroughly confused close to somebody wasn't something she liked. Usually it involved pain.

"Get away from me!" she squealed, jumping up and forgetting to be hateful. Stitch leaned back, surprised.

"What?" but Number One was already heading towards the stairs. Stitch managed to intercept her. "What's wrong? What is it?" the more uneasy and frightened Number One became, the more worried he was. She kept glancing around as if expecting someone to tackle her. But Stitch instead reached out and pushed her into a nearby chair." Number One, I'm not going to hurt you." She shrank back against the chair, cringing from his touch.

"Please don't." Stitch stepped back to let her calm down. 'What the heck is this?' he thought ' one minute she's fine and the next she acts like I'm going to kill her.' Number One had subsided into curling herself into a ball and sitting silently. Stitch sat in the floor and looked up at her.

"Number are you so scared? You can tell me." She lifted her head just enough for him to glimpse tears wetting her grey fur.

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" she sniffled.

"I promise." He whispered, standing as she sat up.

"I don't like people touching me. Quek used to touch experiments and stuff, he called it (A/N no, she isn't saying he raped her or anything. I wouldn't tarnish even Quek with something like that). It hurt.a lot. I can't tell you how many times Pish helped me heal when I was hurt the worst. He actually stood up to Quek at first, but he got hurt he realized what I went through. He kept an eye on me after that. Is that what you would call family?" Stitch looked at her in silence for a few moments, surprised she was telling him all this.

"Yes, Number One...I'm sorry." She shrugged and turned away from him.

"Don't call me that."

"Huh?"

"I am not Number 's 593." Stitch sighed and helped 593 out of her chair.

"I think you're finally starting to get it, 593." She smiled and let Stitch wipe away her tears. She caught his hand in hers-

"I think I finally understand it!" Owen shouted, bursting into the room. Stitch and 593 rolled their eyes. 593 let Stitch's claw drop and turned to Owen.

"Understand what, you stupid pathetic waste?" Owen ignored her and brandished the remains of his dinner triumphantly to Stitch.

" 's what happens to my sandwiches after I eat them! Why didn't I realize it before?" Stitch sighed heavily.

"Owen, we need to talk." Owen grinned smugly.

"Okay. Mahalo, Stitch!" Stitch broke into laughter at the indignant looking little experiment.

"You don't have the slightest clue what that means, do you?" Owen resumed being pleased with himself and grinned widely.

"Nope, not a clue."

***

The watcher in the window (A/N too much reading in the parts good.) sighed as she watched the three aliens climb the stairs and leave the kitchen dark and empty. She nodded to the reptilian face peering over her shoulder as she herself began to carefully scale the wall. It was going to be a long night.

***

Jumba Jookiba chuckled to himself as the voices floated up to his room from downstairs. Owen always managed to ruin a shame that he ruined this. He had been a little worried about Peka gone a pain in the neck was all Stitch and Owen needed.

"I think I will not need to worry about my small criminals anytime soon." he happily rolled over and fell noticing someone slipping in through his window.


End file.
